Concrete Strategies Completes Record-Breaking Insulated Panel Tilt-Up at Pernod Ricard Distillery Project in Kentucky
Ninety-one-foot, 340,000-pound panels set record for the tallest insulated panels ever erected by tilt-up construction.
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LEBANON, Ky. — Concrete Strategies has successfully completed a record-breaking tilt-up of 16 massive, insulated panels at the site of Pernod Ricard’s upcoming Jefferson’s Bourbon distillery, the full-service concrete company announced.
The 18-inch-thick, 91-foot-tall panels, weighing nearly 340,000 pounds, are the largest insulated panels ever erected using tilt-up construction, according to the Tilt-Up Concrete Association. The tallest and heaviest fully insulated panels ever erected required an 880-ton crane to lift them.
Tilt-up concrete construction is a process in which concrete panels are cast onsite and raised into position with a crane. While historically used for warehouses, over time the practice has become a sought-after method for a wide range of projects, including churches, libraries, retail centers, and anything in between.
“This is a historic accomplishment for the Clayco family. I want to commend our team and construction partners for completing this record-breaking, momentous tilt-up,” said Barclay Gebel, vice president of Concrete Strategies, an integrated Clayco company. “I have been with the Clayco/Concrete Strategies team for 35 years and was part of the crew that worked on our first-ever tilt-up project back in 1988. It has been incredible to witness how our practices have evolved and been perfected over the years, and it has all culminated with this towering achievement.”
Concrete Strategies is part of the business family of Clayco, a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm. Clayco is serving as design-builder, general contractor, structural engineer, process engineer, and architect for the project, which includes 18 whiskey storage buildings.
“Congratulations to the project team at Concrete Strategies and Clayco who successfully erected these mammoth insulated panels,” said Mitch Bloomquist, executive director of the Tilt-Up Concrete Association. “Tilt-up construction is one of the most efficient and reliable construction methods today, and it is thanks to record-breaking projects like this that tilt-up continues to grow in prominence for projects around the world.”
Tilting up the walls is a signature moment for the construction in the 256-acre distillery, storage campus, and visitor center.
The work site has also been incredibly safe over more than 102,000 man hours. The site has gone without a reportable incident for the length of the entire project, more than 180 days.
In addition to employing safe and revolutionary tilt-up construction practices, the Pernod Ricard campus will be the first green field distillery of its size in the United States to achieve LEED certification. The campus will feature low-carbon electrode boilers powered by renewable energy, allowing the distillery to completely cut fossil fuels out of bourbon production.
The campus will make a major impact on tourism in the area by drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year. Upon projected completion in the third quarter of 2024, the facility is expected to produce more than 7.5 million proof gallons of bourbon annually.
About Concrete Strategies
Concrete Strategies is a leading full-service concrete firm specializing in architectural site cast concrete, structural concrete, flatwork, site utilizes, and all types of self-performing concrete construction for commerical projects. More than 1,000 employees ensure Concrete Strategies delivers projects on time, on budget, and with the highest safety standards. The company, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, completes more than $500 million in annual revenue. For more information, visit www.concretestrategies.com.
About Clayco
Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely and sustainably delivers the highest quality solutions to clients across North America on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $5.2 billion in revenue for 2022, Clayco specializes in the “art and science of building,” providing fast track, efficient solutions for industrial, commercial, institutional and residential-related building projects. For more information, visit www.claycorp.com.
About The Tilt-Up Concrete Association
The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) is a global nonprofit organization founded in 1986, dedicated to advancing the use of tilt-up construction. The mission of TCA is to promote tilt-up as the premier building system through education and resources, enhancing quality and performance. Tilt-up construction offers cost-effectiveness, low maintenance, durability, rapid construction, and minimal capital investment, with over 10,000 buildings and 650 million square feet constructed annually using this method. TCA remains at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry, driving innovation and excellence in construction.